Plastic milk carton holder



June 17, 1952 c. A. OLSON 2,600,911

PLASTIC MILK CARTON HOLDER Filed Dec. 21, 1948 \I ll lllllllllllll 2 Fig. 2

In uem'or Clarence Arthur Olson By MM 3% l atented June 17, 1952 PLASTIC MILK CARTON HOLDER Clarence Arthur Olson, Eugene, reg., assignor of fifty per cent to Robert S. Hilliard, Eugene,

Oreg.

Application December 21, 1948, Serial No. 66,414

1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates to a handy and economical plastic or semi-rigid shell which is adapted to function as a protective holder for paraffin-coated cardboard milk cartons.

It is a matter of common knowledge that cardboard milk cartons are extensively used by dairies all over the country and that while these cartons are possessed of many commercial and other advantages, the housewife and members of the family, the principal users of cartons, encounter the difliculty that these cartons are often too flimsy for table use. That is to say, they lack the rigidity of glass and equivalent bottles and often create quite a nuisance in disturbing the tranquillity in the home kitchen when pouring milk from a carton which, under hand pressure, often collapses and brings about annoying results.

In view of the above and other similar difficulties which have doubtless been met by users, I have found it expedient and practicable to partly overcome outstanding objections by providing a light-weight plastic semi-rigid jacket for the carton, which jacket constitutes an effective holder and minimizes the likelihood of the carton collapsing under hand pressure.

More specifically, my invention has to do with a substantially rectangular open-ended plastic shell which constitutes the holder and which permits the filled carton to be slipped in the same, thus providing the necessary strength needed while handling the carton in the home and else- Where.

Novelty is predicated, in addition, on the stated holder characterized by internal lugs which effectively seat the carton and make the use of the holder a practical contribution to kitchen utensils and accessories.

Other objects may become apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view showing a holder constructed in accordance with the invention and illustrating the manner in which the same is used in conjunction with a milk-filled carton;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view;

Figure 3 is a top plan.

Referring now to the drawings and to Figure l, the milk carton, which is a conventional paraffincoated cardboard type commonly in use, is denoted by the numeral 5 and the reinforcing and protective holder is denoted by the numeral 6. The latter is preferably a comparatively thin semi-rigid rectangular shell which functions as a jacket for the carton and has flat walls 1, 8, 9 and l 0, said holder being of a vertical height less than the height of the carton and permitting the upper portion of the carton to protrude so that it may be readily grasped for insertion and removal. One or more walls of the holder may be made to flex slightly so as to exert friction-gripping contact against the coacting wall of the carton to assist in holding the carton and to keep the same from possibly slipping out when the carton is tilted, in the usual way, for pouring milk. I also call attention to the fact that if the flexible wall be the wall 9, for example, it is preferably provided with a milled or knurled surface at H to provide a finger-grip. In fact, the knurled surface may be included on any or all of the walls to prevent slipping of the holder in the hands of the user. Then too, I provide on the interior and at the open bottom a pair of opposed lugs [2 which constitute rests and which serve to support the bottom of the milk carton. This makes the carton accessible and also facilitates washing and cleaning of the shield-like holder.

It is thought-that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in the shape, size and arrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A reinforcing and shape sustaining holder for partially jacketing a conventional-type cardboard milk carton comprising a one-piece shield, said shield being formed from moldable material and being light in weight, substantially crushproof and rigid in construction and of a shape and size to telescopically receive the carton and to enclose a major portion of said carton to prevent squeezing and collapsing of the carton when it is being handled, said shield being tubular, rectangular in cross-section, and open at opposite ends, of a length less than the length of the carton, and embodying flat imperforate walls and being provided on its interior and adjacent its bottom with a pair of opposed lugs, the latter being integrally formed with the shield but separate and independent from each other and having flat upper carton seating and supporting surfaces, the latter being relatively broad, in the 3 same plane, and slightly elevated above the lower open end of said shield to elevate and. support the base of the carton clear above the surface of a table or equivalent support.

CLARENCE ARTHUR OLSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number Name Date Lovis Jan. 16, 1912 Anderson June 20, 1916 McAdams Jan. 23, 1917 Doggett Feb. 12, 1918 Brooker Feb. 13, 1934 Waldheim Dec. 31, 1935 Blevins Jan. 28, 1936 Hothersall Aug. 17, 1937 Tracy July 5, 1938 Simons et a1 July 16, 1940 Hamilton et al Apr. 4, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain May 2, 1927 

